Coffin



(No Model.)

W. G. LAUTNER.

OOFFIN.

No. 336,416. Patented Feb. 16, 1886.

' WITNESSES v IWVEWTOR Jlttorney ma i/12% N. PETERS. Phomulho n her. Washinglon. 0,6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM O. LAUTNER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COFFIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110,336,416, dated February l6 1886.

Y0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'WILLTAM C. LAUTNER, ofDetroit, county of \Vayne,StateofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metallic Burial Caskets; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to burial-caskets, and more particularly to metallic caskets. Heretofore it has been common in these devices to rivet or otherwise secure the handles permanently in place when the caskets are manufactured, in consequence of which, shouldthe casket stand for some considerable period of time before use, the handles are liable to become much tarnished; also in shipment they are more or less liable to beinjured or broken.

It is one object of my invention to construct metallic caskets in such a manner that the handles may be applied whenever the casket is desired for use in a ready and expeditious manner, thus enabling the handles to be kept carefully wrapped to prevent exposure and tarnishing and injury in shipment. This I accomplish essentially by engaging with the metallic casket a wooden block into which the handle may be readily engaged. I

It is also the object of my invention to provide sucha casket with strengthening-strips located above and below the block to which the handle is to be engaged, to help take the strain when the casket is lifted. Moreover, in caskets of this class as hitherto constructed the bottom has been apt to spring, causing noise when the casket is lifted, and it is another object of my invention to remedy this difficulty.

My object, furthermore, consists in the general construction and arrangement of devices in a casket of this class, as more fully hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-section of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a modification. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section.

My improvements will be clearly understood by the following description.

A represents the shell of the casket constructed of metal in the ordinary manner.

A represents the bottom.

arepresents theangle irons at t-hetip. These may be constructed in the ordinary way, the angle-irons being provided with a gutter, a, for sealing the casket.

Instead of securing the handles rigidly in place upon the shell when the casket is made, I provide the shell with blocks B at suitable points upon the sides and ends, said blocks being of wood and held in placein any proper manner, as by a housing of sheet metal, b, said housing being soldered to the shell, or otherwise properly secured thereto. By providingthe shell with a series of these blocks it is evident that by puncturing the shell at properpoints for the handle, rivets, orscrews, the handles may be readily rivetedor screwed in place upon the blocks when the casket is desired to be used.

The shell may be punctured upon the surface of the blocks, either when the case is manufactured or when it is desired to engage the handles therewith. This can easily be done by a suitable instrument, either in the hands of the manufacturer or jobber, the handles being carefully kept wrapped up until there is occasion for their use. Another advantage secured by this improvement is that upon the sale of the casket any desired style or quality. of handle may be engaged therewith, as may be preferred. The block of wood also affords a firm means of engagement for the handles.

0 0 represent strips of wood engaged with the shell above and below said series of blocks, affording firmness to the casket, and being engaged in juxtaposition to said blocks or their housing, above and below the same, it is evident that they materially assist in taking the strain from the shell and blocks when the casket is lifted. I would have it understood that I design to employ these blocks with or without these strengthening strips 0 C. A further object to be noted in the use of the wooden strips 0 O is that the lining of the casket may be readily tacked thereto, dispensing with the necessity of cementing the same in place, as is ordinarily done.

D represents a wooden bottom board engaged in the interior of the casket to prevent the spring of the metallic base and the rattling caused thereby.

These improvements are comparatively inexpensive, and yet materially enhance the utility of the casket.

It is evident that by the use of the blocks ordinary wood screws may be employed for attaching the handles, thereby effecting a con siderable saving and preventing annoyance heretofore liable to result in caskets of this class. As ordinarily manufactured it has been the practice to provide the shell with metallic lugs screw-tapped to receive machine-screws.

By the use'of wooden blocks a considerable saving is effected in dispensing with the necessity of screw-tapping the lugs, and, moreover, should the handles not be atlixed to the caskets, as previously constructed, there has been a liability of losing the machine-screws or breaking them, and not infrequently they have been broken off in the metallic lugs, necessitating the return of the casket to the manufacturer, and often machine-screws cannot be readily had in many places where the casket may be desired for use.

It is evident that by the use of blocks there is no liability for the screws to be broken, or even if they should be the shell may be punctured in a diiierent place and the handles applied without difficulty. Moreover, it has been necessary heretofore. to give strength to caskets of this class, to make them with swell bodies, and the handles must therefore be specially made to fit such a shape, and es pecially where the metallic lugs have been used with a swell body no handle can be used except one exactly fitted thereto.

Ibelieve myself to be the first to make a straight-sided metallic casket, and whereon the casket to prevent noiseas, for instance, the metal base may be provided with a series of bolts, (2, soldered or otherwise secured thereto in such a manner as not to prevent the casket being air-tight, and the bottom may be perforated and engaged over said bolts and secured in place by nuts (2. This will more effectually prevent any rattling of the metal. To still more completely prevent noise a layer of sawdust, d or some analogous substance, may be located between the metal base and the bottom board to take up any unevenness of surface between them.

It is evident that instead of a series of wooden blocks located adjacent to each handle a continuous strip may be employed, running nearlyor quite the whole length of the casket, to receive all the handles upon one side, said strip being incased in an air-tight metallic housing. in the same manner in which the blocks before described are incascd.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination, with a casket having an outer metallic shell, of wooden pieces arranged within said shell and abutting against the side walls thereof to receive the handleattaching screws, said wooden pieces being incased in metallic housings secured to the interior of the shell, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a casketlhaving an outer metallic shell,of a bottom board connected with the metallic bottom, wooden blocks abutting against the side walls of the shell, and having metallic housings within which said blocks are contained,and wooden stiffening-strips resting against the sides of the shell and interposed between the top and bottom, and the housings for the wooden blocks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. LAUTNER.

Witnesses:

W. B. ODoonnn'ry, N. S. finer-1r. 

